Hope flickers in nearly deserted villages (2)

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Residents in "Hanging Village" are seniors, leading a simple life and often tending pigs and chickens. (China Daily/Wei Xiaohao)

A well-paved stone path leads visitors from the bottom of the valley to the village entrance. The lane, zigzagging on the cliff, passes a water tank and a tiny mill with a millstone.

Ascending the stone steps through the entrance, you can reach the terrace in front of the houses that overlooks the valley embraced by lush coniferous forests. A river runs through the bottom of the valley. On the shady slope are orchards of various kinds of fruit trees, such as apple, pear and almond. Roses and wild flowers flourish at the periphery of the orchards.

The view is breathtaking, which can easily trigger a traveler's longing to sit down and have a cup of tea.

But such hospitality is still unavailable at the village. Maybe it is because the residents are all seniors, who lack the vision and ability to serve the visitors.

Tending several pigs and a flock of chickens remain the core activity for couple Bai Cunde and Wang Xiancun at the village.

They have nearly half a hectare of farmland on nearby slopes, on which they plant only yams.

"In the mountains, winter is long and cold, and you can't make a living just by farming," says Wang, the 59-year-old wife. "Besides, boars are common and often bully us (damaging the crop)."

Their son left for greener pastures in the cities, with his wife and children. At peak, there were 140 people living in the village, whose ancestors hid in the mountains to escape wars and natural disasters. Now there are only 30, Wang says.

Tourism hasn't slowed down the village's decline yet.

"Girls from the outside used to like moving to our village after marriages because harvests from forests and our farmland could make ends meet," Wang says.

"Now it's the opposite."

But things might change again. My friend and I spot a newly built guesthouse with a compound near the hamlet. Renovation is underway.

Sun Ruisheng contributed to the story.

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